


Crown of the Palace

by s_a_b_i_n_e



Series: Destiel Oneshots (smut-free) [13]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester Loves Castiel, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, Heaven, Honeymoon, M/M, Melancholy, Men in love, Non-explicit mentioning of canon deaths, Post-Canon, taj mahal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:55:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29555979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_a_b_i_n_e/pseuds/s_a_b_i_n_e
Summary: Dean and Castiel visit the Taj Mahal in Heaven.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Destiel Oneshots (smut-free) [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022302
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	Crown of the Palace

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot was dream-induced by the wonderful theArcane who tweeted about Dean and Castiel spending their honeymoon in India.

"Isn't that a bit cliché?" Dean asks and suppresses a chuckle when Castiel answers with a trademark squint. He will never get enough of looking at it, of looking at _him_.

"I was told that it is very romantic to come here," he replies, looking over the water basin to the impressive marble mausoleum. "It is a symbol of never-dying love."

"It's nice," Dean concedes, "but still. Cliché."

"This is one of India's most popular tourist destinations, Dean, and it wasn’t easy to get the details right. Do you know how intricate the Arabic calligraphy is?"

Dean looks back at the impressive building in front of him, the white marble standing out in beautiful contrast to the mackerel sky. Something warm spreads through his stomach, tickles on his insides, and tightens deliciously around his heart.

"You did this for me?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Castiel's Adam's apple bobs beautifully when he swallows nervously, still looking at the Taj Mahal copy he built for heaven. "I ... preponed it. We're building the different heavens and I put Shah Jahan's on the fast track if you will."

"Aww, that's too sweet," Dean only half-teases, covering up the giddiness that makes him want to giggle like a teenage girl.

They walk along the long basin, the water glistening in the sun, a soft wind caressing their skin. Dean will never get used to the way Castiel's hair looks in a breeze. He will never fully understand how powerful his husband is. Even here, in his personal heaven, the thought of what Cass was willing to give up for him is just overwhelming.

Dean grabs Castiel's hand and weaves their fingers together. The simple silver band presses deliciously into his flesh. He's not sure if the sensation is real or just another illusion like everything around them.

But what he does know to be real are the feelings, the emotions taking him by storm every time his angel looks at him with the soft, knowing smile. This _is_ real. It feels like all those times that Dean had chuckled it away back on earth, just to not give away the turmoil of everything inside him - love, affection, arousal, belonging.

He can feel all of this here and maybe, Anna was wrong all those years ago. Angels _are_ capable of feelings without falling from grace. How else would it be possible to build these new heavens that held more than repetitions of your best memories?

They walk and walk in comfortable silence. Dean loves those. Back on earth, everything was loud, even if it was only the screaming of his own thoughts in his head. But here, with Cass? Everything just slows and calms down. Eternity is a beautiful thing. It gives his restless mind tranquillity.

The building is even more impressive from up close. Dean is speechless for totally other reasons now. Sure, India wouldn't have been on his holiday list anyway. But it's just one of these moments where he realises how fucked up his life has been. He never had a real holiday, wasn't able to, even when Sam and he had tried it. There was always this buzzing feeling inside his chest of needing to do a job as if he weren’t worthy of breathing air if he wasn't useful to the world.

Having fun meant watching a movie or drinking a slightly better beer or the pure indulgence of sharing a good whisky with Castiel late at night when all the others were already sleeping.

But travelling for fun? Looking at the wonders nature or humankind created? No, that had been for others. For those he saved and protected, even if they didn't even know his name.

They arrive at the platform in front of the mausoleum. It looks otherworldly in its brightness. Dean has to shelter his eyes as the artificial sunlight reflects on the white, sleek stone. Castiel chuckles softly. That son of a bitch obviously has no problem with things like that. Dean smiles. His husband is truly magnificent.

They walk through an impressive portal and even more impressive halls, richly decorated with paintings and jewel work, beams of light playing with the rich colours, gold, and gemstones.

"It always amazed me what humans are capable of creating from a place of love," Castiel muses. "Love is such a force."

"As if I wouldn't know," Dean replies. He swallows hard, trying to reign in the feelings suddenly bubbling up in his chest. "Your love saved the world."

Castiel nods slowly, a soft grin lighting up his face. "My love for you," he states mercilessly and there is this tightening grip around Dean's heart again, squeezing all the right places and taking his breath away. He's still not used to these kinds of declarations, still doesn't feel worthy enough to receive them. Some things just are too deeply ingrained to be healed quickly, even if you're touched by an angel.

Dean squeezes Castiel's hand tightly, letting out some of the pressure building up inside of him once again, threatening to crush him in a wave of self-loathing.

Castiel leads him through the halls without another word until they end up in front of two tombs. Cass presses a soft kiss to his temple and Dean closes his eyes for a moment. Then he chuckles. "A strange place for a kiss, don't you think?"

Cass gives him one of his tender, closed-lipped smiles and brushes his thumb over Dean's knuckles.

Dean studies the false sarcophagi, only created to give visitors a show while hiding the true lovers away from the public. It's fake and it's beautiful. But it gives Dean flashbacks, too. Memories of all-consuming flames come unbidden, burning inside of him.

Castiel seems to sense it as he pulls him into his arms, his hand brushing through Deans hair as he guides his head to his shoulder. The sobbing that leaves Dean's lips is old, pent up, suppressed, and freeing. All the uncried tears run freely now, cathartic and alleviating.

Dean raises his fists and pokes Castiel's arms. "Don't you ever die on me ever again," he presses out, old pain lacing every word.

Castiel pulls back, just enough to find Dean's tear-brimmed eyes. He runs this thumbs over the wet cheeks and gives his husband a sad smile. "Never. I promise. I stay out of trouble from now on."

Dean chuckles and brushes his tears away with the back of his hand. "You better."

He dries his hand on his jeans and shakes the remnants of the memories away. He may have burnt Castiel's body, but the angel is here, with him, alive and well.

"So, what's next?" he asks after clearing his voice from wetness, "Eiffel Tower?"

"Isn't that 'too cliché'?" Castiel grins, making these stupid air quotes that Dean secretly loves.

He pulls his angel into his arms. "With you? Nothing can be too cliché," he whispers against his lips and kisses him softly and sweet.

He doesn't care that he's a sap. He finally arrived. It's shit that he had to die for that, wished he hadn't. But here, surrounded by the beauty that love and hard work created, rebuilt by the angel that is pure intent and affection, he allows himself to let all his guards down, to let himself feel the love inside of him and wrapping around them like a soft blanket of comfort. And maybe, just maybe, he feels a tiny little bit that he deserves to be happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think. 💚💙


End file.
